Fostering Belonging in Teaching

Overview

What does it mean to belong on campus?

Being in community with others, feeling part of a group, and having a sense of belonging are fundamental to our well-being and psychological health(link is external). Previous studies(link is external) show how a student’s sense of belonging can grow from numerous academic settings and contexts, like being involved in a campus community(link is external), feeling accepted and respected(link is external) when interacting with peers and faculty, and nurturing a psychological sense of identification and affiliation(link is external) to the university. Taken together, this research suggests that there are many opportunities to foster (and harm) a student’s sense of belonging, including, but not limited to, the classroom, office hours, department gatherings, in conversations with peers, and through university policies.

Belonging in Higher Education

Belonging is widely considered a basic human need(link is external), yet many students experience feelings of isolation and exclusion during their academic careers. Research suggests there are several causes motivating feelings of exclusion on a college campus, many of which are rooted in institutional bias and oppression. Certain student groups, like students of color or those with disabilities, face distinct challenges that affect their sense of belonging in higher education. For example, hostile racial climates are shown to have a direct and negative impact(link is external) on feelings of belonging for students of color. For students with disabilities, belonging is interconnected with self-advocacy, social relationships, and student success(link is external). Students with disabilities who do not have access to self-advocacy support structures, like workshops, campus services, and social networks, experience lower academic self-confidence(link is external) and confront unique challenges when completing traditional academic tasks(link is external) (e.g., exams, study methods, assignments, etc.). Transfer students also face institutional barriers from simply having less time to accumulate experiences and attain lasting connections(link is external) that foster belonging in comparison to first-year entrance students.

More recently, studies show Gen Z adults aged 18-22 are lonelier than previous generations(link is external). The COVID-19 pandemic likely exacerbated feelings of isolation and loneliness(link is external) for adolescents and young adults. Our undergraduate students’ own journeys with mental health(link is external), such as navigating basic needs, depression, and housing insecurity, were also responsive to active phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the national conversation regarding the who, when, and why of belonging has evolved over time to consider more nuanced and specific contexts, like disciplinary fields(link is external), the connection between belonging and academic achievement and health remains.

Teaching Strategies and Recommendations

Starting Point for Growth: Self-Reflection & Awareness

What does belonging mean to you? Take a moment to reflect on the places, people, and moments that have shaped who you are today by crafting an “I Am From” poem(link is external). The University of Minnesota’s Global Programs and Strategy Alliance and the Center for Educational Innovation developed an activity guide(link is external) designed to help instructors and students alike recognize and appreciate diverse experiences and intersectional identities. Consider using this exercise to surface what fosters a sense of belonging for you and your students.

Step-by-step Reflection Activity I am from… Familiar foods, especially those associated with family gatherings I am from… Sights, sounds, and smells from your neighborhood I am from… Thinking, feeling, and doing as a student I am from… Familiar sayings heard repeatedly growing up I am from… Familiar people, family members, friends, and ancestors I am from… Value or short phrase to describe your teaching I am from… Value or short phrase to describe your mission as an educator	Example: Where I’m From by George Ella Lyon(link is external) I am from clothespins, from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride. I am from the dirt under the back porch. (Black, glistening, it tasted like beets.) I am from the forsythia bush the Dutch elm whose long-gone limbs I remember as if they were my own. I’m from fudge and eyeglasses, from Imogene and Alafair. I’m from the know-it-alls and the pass-it-ons, from Perk up! and Pipe down! I’m from He restoreth my soul with a cottonball lamb and ten verses I can say myself. — Excerpt retrieved from author’s website(link is external) Listen to the audio version

Before Teaching

Proactively learn about your students, especially their prior educational contexts. Ask students to complete an anonymous survey(link is external) before the start of the semester to learn more about students’ prior knowledge, relevant experiences, and professional interests.
Be explicit about course expectations. Articulate course policies and a grading breakdown in your syllabi. Consider using rubrics to evaluate student work for course assignments, especially high-stakes ones. When rubrics are used on low-stakes assessments(link is external), they can help students understand the nature and scope of learning expected, the level of learning expected, and then make decisions about their current level of learning to inform revision and improvement.
Represent diversity in syllabi and course content. Who is featured in your course and course materials? Consider content-related opportunities to include and highlight the contributions of scholars from underrepresented and excluded communities in your discipline(link is external) and use diverse examples to illustrate concepts.

During Teaching

Incorporate values affirmation exercises shown to improve students’ learning and academic experiences. Encourage students to complete a brief (10-15 min) writing exercise(link is external) reflecting on the values that are personally important to them and recall moments of formative change. Alternatively, consider assigning values affirmation exercises as an online homework assignment during strategic times in the semester(link is external) or as an extended in-class activity for first-year students(link is external)
Foster a growth mindset in your students.Research(link is external) suggests that students’ mindsets, referring to how students perceive their abilities, play a key role in their motivation and academic success. When designing assignments, giving feedback, and speaking with students, signal confidence in each student’s ability to build upon their knowledge with practice and time.
Communicate high standards and confidence in your students’ abilities. Remind students that learning is a process and that you believe and trust in their potential for success, with practice and effort. Affirming students’ ability in your feedback(link is external) can help mitigate stereotype threat and internalized biases for students from minoritized and historically excluded communities.
Design group work for belonging. Often overlooked, supporting students’ belonging within groups can be incredibly helpful beyond outlining the group project at hand. Tuckman’s stages of group development (link is external)can provide a helpful foundation for the phases of group work and proactive ways instructors can cultivate positive and collaborative group relationships.

After Teaching

Reflect on your semester. Consider new opportunities for co-constructing(link is external) elements of your course with students and invite past students to offer input(link is external) and ideas on future course changes.
Share your teaching story. Connect with a trusted friend, colleague, or CTL consultant(link is external) to openly process and reflect on what went well in your teaching and what, if anything, could be improved. Share your teaching journey(link is external) with more junior colleagues to demonstrate that teaching is an iterative process filled with joyful moments and, at times, tough mistakes.
Facilitate professional relationships among students.Stay connected with your students(link is external) and help them build a professional network by encouraging their engagement with My Berkelely Alumni Portal(link is external)